NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
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INCIDENTS
Glen Canyon NRA
One Dead, Seven Ill From Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Just before 3 a.m. yesterday morning, park dispatch received a distress call on marine band radio from a 75-foot Aramark rental houseboat moored in Rock Creek Bay. Eight people were on board - an extended family from Arizona - and all were apparently suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. Glenn Howeth awoke during the night, found one of his grandsons passed out on the floor of the vessel, and recognized that something was wrong. He was able to rouse his grandson and together they started to evacuate others to the outside deck. During this process, Howeth, who had a significant cardiac history, suffered an apparent heart attack. Howeth's grandson, a paramedic, performed CPR on him, but to no avail. Ranger Chad Hunter responded with a Classic Lifeguard helicopter, while supervisory ranger Laurie Axelsen made a night run in a patrol boat from the Dangling Rope Ranger Station. The other seven family members were flown by helicopter to the hospital in Page. Six were transferred to Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George, Utah, for treatment in a hyperbaric chamber. As of yesterday evening, they'd gone through two treatments, with a third scheduled for this morning. Two of them showed signs of decreased mental ability and will undergo additional testing before being released. The houseboat was secured on scene and an investigation was conducted by special agent Brian O'Dea and Uplake district ranger Steve Luckesen. Extensive testing was performed on scene. Aramark has 25 houseboats of this type on the lake, and is working to ensure that they are all safe. The investigation continues. [Brent McGinn, Chief Ranger]
Saguaro NP
Mountain Biker Succumbs To Hyperthermia
Two horseback riders who were riding the Shantz trail in the park's Rincon District on the morning of May 30th came upon a man's body. He'd been riding a mountain bike on area trails and was found lying on part of his bike (mountain bikes are prohibited on these trails). Investigating rangers determined that he was R.K., 42, of Novi, Michigan. R.K.'s vehicle was found at a trailhead about two miles southwest from the point where his body was discovered. A ranger had seen it parked at the trailhead the previous afternoon and had run a computer check on it with negative results. The investigation also revealed that one of R.K.'s relatives had contacted Tucson PD on the night of May 29th and reported him missing. When found, R.K. was wearing a bicycle helmet and there was no sign of obvious significant trauma. The water bottle on his bike was found empty. The high temperature in Tucson on May 29th was 95 degrees and the overnight low temperature was 50 degrees. The temperature when his body was found was 80 degrees. The Pima County medical examiner conducted an autopsy. On June 23rd, the medical examiner advised the park that R.K.'s death had probably been caused by “hyperthermia due to exposure to the elements.” Hyperthermia, also called heat stroke or sunstroke, is an acute condition which occurs when the body produces or absorbs more heat than it can dissipate. It is usually caused by excessive exposure to heat. [Bob Love, Chief Ranger]
Blue Ridge Parkway
Fatal Motorcycle Accident
On the morning of Sunday, June 15th, rangers were dispatched to a motorcycle accident with CPR in progress. R.S. of Dorothy, New Jersey, had been heading south on the parkway on his 2002 Harley Davidson motorcycle when it drifted off onto the road shoulder, struck a protruding rock formation, then collided head-on with a rock retaining wall. R.S. was ejected and landed in the middle of the southbound travel lane. His friend and riding companion, Jacob Francetti, saw the accident and pulled R.S. out of the roadway. Two off-duty paramedics from Hickory, North Carolina, had just stopped their motorcycles at the nearby Alligator Back overlook and witnessed the accident. They found R.S. unresponsive, with no pulse or respirations, so began CPR. They were assisted by a retired Michigan State Police officer who passed through on his motorcycle just after the accident occurred. R.S. was pronounced dead shortly after Alleghany County EMS personnel arrived on scene. The Alleghany County medical examiner later advised that R.S. had died of massive head injuries. There have been two other serious injury motorcycle accidents at this location in less than a week. This accident remains under investigation. Bruce Gagnon is the investigating ranger. [Brent Pennington, Highlands District Ranger]
OTHER NEWS
Other stories can be read on InsideNPS at one or the other of these two sites:
NPS readers - HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index
Non-NPS readers - HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/
Among the stories in today's edition are the following:
Whiskeytown NRA - Lightning strikes ignited eight fires in the park last Saturday. Four continue to burn and threaten critical infrastructure.
National Partnership Office - Unilever, the longest-standing corporate partner of the National Park Foundation, recently launched a cause-marketing campaign with a goal to raise $100,000 for the National Park Foundation.
In The Media - A weekly summary of news stories about or of consequence to the NPS, including links to the articles.
DSC - Van Brower, the last of the original 1971 DSC employees still working at the Denver offices of the Denver Service Center, will retire on August 3rd.
DSC - Pat Kenney has been selected as the new Planning Division branch chief in Denver Service Center.
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Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found at the following web site:
HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363
Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).
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